Cocaine: Coca vs. Cocoa?

>>And now for something completely different; Cocaine!
>>>> I don't work in this area, so I figured a note to the net would be the
>>easiest way to get an easy answer on this question raised by recent
>>discussions with a friend who is begrudgingly recovering from cocaine
>>adiction.
>>>>What species is cocaine made from and what is the relationship of this plant
>>to the plant that chocolate is made from?
>Cocaine comes from coca (Erythroxylon coca) and chocolate comes from cacao
>(Theobroma cacao).
Another tidbit for you:
Cacao contains alkaloids of the xanthine family:
-caffeine (CNS stimulant)
-theobromine (cardiac stimulant)
-theophylline (vasodialator)
These are the only known alkaloids in the xanthine family and cocaine is
not one of them.
I would very much recommend the following book for your friend:
''Cacahuatl Eater: Ruminations of an Unabashed Chocolate Addict''
By Jonathan Ott
This book is out of print, so please leet me know if your library
hasn't got it and I can tell you where you can get a copy.
-Chris Finney, TECH I
University of Vermont